Chess openings / French Defense
French Defense: Normal Variation
French Defense: Normal Variation (C00) starts 1.e4 e6 2.d4. In 83,531 games between strong players, White wins 45%, 15% are drawn and Black wins 40%; the most played move is 2…d5 (96%).
1.e4 e6 2.d4
- ECO
- C00
- Games between strong players
- 83,531
- To move
- Black
White wins, draws and Black wins, from this position.
What strong players play next
The moves played most from this position in over-the-board broadcasts and the Lichess Elite Database, how often, and how the games ended.
| Move | Played | Results | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2…d5 | 96% (79,742) | – | |
| 2…c5 | 1% (1,138) | French Defense: Franco-Sicilian Defense | |
| 2…b6 | 1% (838) | – | |
| 2…a6 | 1% (547) | French Defense: St. George Defense | |
| 2…d6 | 1% (458) | Rat Defense: Small Center Defense | |
| 2…Be7 | 0% (249) | – |
Where it comes from and where it goes
Branches from French Defense 1.e4 e6
- French Defense: Paulsen Variation 37,893 games
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation 17,534 games
- French Defense: Advance Variation 16,826 games
- French Defense: Exchange Variation 7,826 games
- French Defense: St. George Defense 2,197 games
- French Defense: Schlechter Variation 2,112 games
- French Defense: Franco-Sicilian Defense 1,336 games
- Rat Defense: Small Center Defense 533 games
- French Defense: Mediterranean Defense 90 games
- French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit 51 games
More French Defense lines
- French Defense: Classical Variation 20,772 games
- French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation 12,957 games
- French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack 12,083 games
- French Defense: Winawer Variation 11,959 games
- French Defense: Steinitz Variation 10,175 games
- French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation 8,299 games
- French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation 8,033 games
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System 7,278 games
- French Defense: Knight Variation 5,600 games
- French Defense: Advance Variation, Euwe Variation 5,473 games
- French Defense: King's Indian Attack 5,400 games
- French Defense: Rubinstein Variation 4,002 games
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